Northeast Massachusetts (Greater Boston)
This page includes event listings and directories of veterans’ services; veterans’ posts and auxiliaries; Aging Services Access Points; VA-accredited representatives, agents, and attorneys; and veteran owned businesses and information about veterans living in Northeast Massachusetts.
Use the #greater-boston tag for events in counties in the Northeast Region so they show up here. Some towns are also part of the #boston-metro, #metrowest, #north-shore, and #merrimack-valley areas linked below.
80,382 veterans are estimated to live in Northeast Mass as of 2021, with 4,239 veterans living below the poverty line, including 1,907 with a disability.
northeast directories
Among the 80,382 veterans estimated to live in Northeastern Massachusetts counties, there are 5,981 women veterans and 24,945 veterans with a disability. Over 7.6% of the Northeast Region’s disabled veterans (1,907) fell below the poverty line. Within the Northeast Region overall, disabled veterans in poverty made up 2.4% of veterans and 45% of all veterans experiencing poverty.
Almost 58% of all Northeast Region veterans were over age 65. Veterans over age 65 accounted for 53% of all veterans experiencing poverty, 67% of all disabled veterans experiencing poverty, and 76% of all disabled veterans within the region.
Around 74% of all veterans (59,454) in the Northeast Region served during wartime, compared to 26% of veterans (20,928) with peacetime service only. Whether or not a veteran has time during “wartime” or “peacetime” service eras determines whether a veteran is potentially eligible for the VA wartime veterans’ pension for very low-income wartime veterans.
All veterans in the Vietnam, Korea, and World War II wartime eras are over age 65. Almost 62% of veterans (36,597) with wartime status in the Northeast Region had qualifying service during the Vietnam, Korea, and World War II eras.
Very low income veterans over age 65 are potentially eligible for the VA wartime veterans’ pension if they meet other eligibility requirements whether or not they have a qualifying disability situation.
You can explore referenced 2021 American Community Survey census data, as well as other census data specific to Massachusetts with interactive maps and tables linked from the Census Reporter.
Information about the veteran population referencing age, gender & veteran status is based on data at the city and town and county level with 5-year estimates (most reliable).
Information referencing the median incomes, service-connected disability, and disability & poverty status of veterans is only available at the county level and referencing service era at the local level with 1-year estimates (most current).
2020 census data
Based on the 2020 ACS 5-year estimates, Middlesex County had the most veterans of all counties (54,833 veterans), as well as the largest number of women veterans (3,642 veterans). Suffolk County had the smallest proportion of veterans (2.7%), but the veteran population was the youngest and most diverse having the largest proportion of veterans who:
served since August 1990 (40.2%);
were under age 55 (35.5%);
were not white alone (33.1%);
were black or African American only (18.6%); or
were women (9.4%).
VA Spending in the Northeast Region
According to VA’s GDX report, the VA spent just over $1.2 billion in FY 2021 in the Northeast Region, including over $640.5 million on medical care for 31,015 unique patients (an average of $20,651 per patient); nearly $465.3 million in VA compensation & pension benefit payments; and $86.7 million for education benefits and vocational rehabilitation & employment services.
Over 31% of Northeast Region veterans (24,945) reported having a disability; over 22% had at least one VA service-connected disability (17,884). At least 83% of service-connected were compensated.